Fishing reel



H. F. MAYNES 2,040,777

FISHING REEL Fil'ed Deo. 9, 1935 INVENTOR Patented May 12, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FISHING REEL Hyla F. Maynes, North Tonawanda, N. Y., as-

signor of one-half to Emma C. Maynes, North Tonawanda, N. Y.

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a fishing reel and it has particular relation to mechanism for driving elementsof level Wind devices to insure proper reversal of a fishing line in its travel from end to type of fishing reel disclosed in my co-pen'ding application Serial No. 25,275, June 6, 1935, ma* tured into Patent No. 2,027,306, granted January '7, 1936.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view of a reel wherein a plan of cer-` 25rtain portions of the reel is illustrated and other portions thereof are broken away to illustrate structural elements in horizontal section;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section illustrating the mounting of a level wind device in the end housings of a shing reel;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section, on a larger scale, and taken along the crank shaft of the fishing reel; and

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken substantially along the line IV-IV of Fig. l.

In practicing the invention a pair of parallel disc-like heads or end plates I0 and I 2 are assem bled With cup shaped end casings I5 and I6, re-

spectively, by means of spacing bars I1 'disposed through both the plates and casings adjacent their marginal portions. Inwardly turned llanges I8 of the casings abut the plates II and I2 adjacent their marginal edges to provide closed chambers or housings I9, and the casings are provided With annular beveled wall sections or zones adjacent their outer extremities. These elements I0-I5' and IZ-IG thus constitute end frame members cooperating with the bars'I'I to complete the main body structure of the reel.

End portions of the spacing bars are reduced in diameter to provide shoulders or abutments 22 vfor positioning the plates II and I2 in spaced parallel relation. Suitable fastening elements 23, such as screws, and having heads 24 are threaded axially into reduced end portions 25 of the bars I'I tor secure the end plates, casings and bars in rigidly assembled relation. The beveled sections or zones 20 are provided With recesses 2'I defined by lat wall portions 28 parallel to the end plates I'I and I2 and by shoulders 29. The fastener heads 24 abut the wallV portions 28 in securing the elements together. 'Since these heads do not extend outwardly beyond theY outer `plane of the end casings, they blend with the beveled configuration of these casings in partially obscured relation in the recesses 21 and are protected by the surrounding shoulders 29 defining the recesses.

A pair of adjacent barsY II are rigidly secured to a saddle 26 adapted to be mounted upon lthe fishing rod (not shown) for the purpose of supporting the reel in a conventional manner suitable for its normal operation.

A double crank 30 is non-rotatalf'ilvsecuredv upon the outer end portion of a sleeve 32 that is formed rigidly as an axial extension'of `a driving gear 33 and, together with this gear, is rotatably mounted upon a bearing stud 35. A head 35l formed integrally upon the inner end of the stud is rigidly carried in the end plate I2, .and a nut orV screw threaded cap 31 secured upon the outer end of thesleeve 32 maintains the Vcrank and sleeve 32 in their proper relative positions.

A socket 38 formed in the outer end portion of the cap 3'I rmly embraces a jewel bearing element' 39 which impinges against a cooperating jewel bearing element'40 provided upon the outerv end of the stud 35. Another socket 43 separated from the socket 38 b-y a flange'45 carresa flexible Washer 46 composed of material, such as libre or, felt, which is confined between the socket flange andthe end of the sleeve 32. A cylindrical, casing 48 loosely surrounds the bearing sleevel 32 and is rigidly mounted, as indicated at 49, coaxi. ally with such sleeve in the outer wall of the casing I6. The portion of the crank 38 adjacent the junction thereof with the sleeve v32 does not abut the outer end of the casing 48.

A relatively small gear 50 is rigidly secured upon a reduced end portion 52 of a spool shaft 53 that has each end portion rotatablycarried in a bearing support 55 mounted rigidly in the wall of each of the end casings. Each bearing support4 55 is provided with a cap 56 threaded thereon an-d is formed with `a socket 58 in its outer end portion rmly embracing a jewel thrust bearing element 59 which impinges against a co-operating jewel bearing element 6D mounted upon the end of the reduced spool shaft portion 52. An inner socket 62 separated from the socket 58 by a ilange 63 carries a exible Washer 65 composed of ma- 7s Annular anges |03 integral with the shells y upon the thrust bearing elements 39 and 40.

plate |-2.

terial, such as fibre -or felt, which is confined between the socket flange 63 and the bearing support 55. A shell or cup 66 fits about the inner end of the cap 56 and the inner portion is confined between the outer wall of the casing I6 and the inner end of the cap 56.

A pair of cupped discs '|0 are secured coaxially upon a central spool sleeve 'I3 of the spool shaft 53 by means of end portions 'I5 of the sleeve which are spun outwardly about an intermediate wall portion of each disc through which the sleeve..

'I3 extends. The shaft 53 ts tightly in the sleeve 'I3 and a portion of the shaft has a serrated or upset section 16 which is forcedinto the sleeve and insures a rm and rigid assembly. of thesel elements. The outer margin 'Il of each disc 'l0 is turned outwar-dly toward and into an annular groove '|8 that is formed on the end plate and in such manner as to insure the extremity of the disc being disposed in the groove, but without interfering. with relative rotation between the discs and end plates.

As bestshown in Figs. 1 and 3, an annular gear is rigidly secured axially of one end of'v the sleeve 32 in a recessed portion 82 thereof and in axial offset relation to the gear 33. It will be observed that the a-djacent inner ends of thevr gear 80 and sleeve' 32 are flush and are spaced slightly from the head 38 of the bearing stud 35.'

By manipulating the cap 3l the bearing elements 39 and 40 are brought together and both of these inner flush ends are prevented from bearing against the stud head Y36. In turning the crank 30 thetendency is naturally to press inwardly,

against the reel ends, thereby imposing pressure The sleeve 48 can be composed of such material as to provideY at itsv inner end. a suitable thrust bearingY element for'the sleeve 32 or gear 33 to counteraet the tendency'of the sleeve to move in an outward direction.

The gear 80 meshes with a larger gear 85 which is carried rigidly upon oneY end of a shaft 86 reaching from one. endv plate to the other end A bearing sleeve 3l rigidly mounted in the. end plate I2 supports the shaft 86 and the end porti-on of this shaft is rigidly mounted in an axial bearing extension 88 of thev gear 85. Inside the casing |5, the shaft 86 has a driving connection arranged like the gear for driving the level wind operating mechanism 89 (Fig. 2)Y in a manner clearly described in my patent referred to above.

It wi-ll be observed that the gearing members 85, 90 and. 92 having their peripheries. adjacentV the4 pinion 92. from being displaced from the endY of the shaft. Opposite end bearing portions 93 and 99.0f the level-wind shaft are journalled in bearings |00 formed as parts. of protective shells |02. which are rigidly secured in the endplates I I and I2.

Thusfthe outer portions of the cas |02 have their outer surfaces I 04 beveled lnwardly and converge toward each other. These anges overlap the end portions of the shaft 93 adjacent its bearings 98 and 99.

The body of the spiral shaft 93 is composed of suitable material, such as wire, which is bent into the desired spiral form. Adjacent these bearing portions 98 and 99 the spiral shaft has offset sections |05 and |06 at which the spiraling of the shaft begins, and the spiral configuration extends slightly lessthan one complete circumferential turn while extending longitudinally substantially the distance between the bearing portions 98 and 99. The ratio between the gear segment 90 and the pinion 92 is such that the oscillation of. the gear segment in either direction from its respective limits of oscillation causes slightly less than one complete revolution of the level wind shaft 93.

Since` the spiral configuration of the shaft 93 traverses slightly'less than one complete circumferenti'al portion of. the shaft, and the latter in" each cyclef of;'oscillation turns slightly less than one complete revolution, the fishing line I [i8 lying upon the spiralwi-llabe shiftedv laterally from side to side,. or in other words; from end to end of the spool F13-'I3 in` response to they VoscillatoryV movement of the segment 90. The spiral surface of theshaft, which issubstantially uniformly circular in cross section provides a cam. like action upon. the line in shifting'it'. The offset portions |05 and |05 at the end' portions of. the shaft aut-omatically reverse the shifting. action upon the line adjacent'the: en-ds'of the shaft upon reversal of the rotative motion ofthe shaft in its oscillation.

It has been found, under certain conditions, in the absence of the flanges |03' that when the fishing line is played. out. rapidly, it would sometimes be momentarily delayed-l in assuming its proper position upon the guiding surfaces ofthe spiral shaft by falling upon the latter at a location immediately adjacent the bearingr portions 98' and 99. order'to'guard against such delayed actionwhen the line happens to fall adjacent the shaft ends or after it has been whipped laterally by rapid movement" thereof, the beveled' flanges |03l are provided to prevent the line from reach-ingtheV outer extremities of the shaft portions |05 and |06. When the line falls upon either of the annular beveled surfaces |04 it is immediately guided' inwardly to assure its properv position for level wind guiding upon the spiral' lapping a portion of the shaft for shifting the line into guided position upon the shaft adjacentv an end thereof.

2; In a fishing reel having devices for winding a fishing line thereon, a level wind shaft formed with portions for guiding the fishing line alternately from end to end of the reel, mechanismv for driving the level wind shaft, bearings in theA reel for the shaft ends, and a member carried in the reel adjacent each end of the shaft and extending linwardly toward each other for shifting the lineinto guided position upon the shaft upon the falling of the line upon said member.

3. In a fishing reel having devices for Winding a fishing line thereon, a level wind shaft formed with portions for guiding the fishing line alternately from end to end of the reel, mechanism for driving the level wind shaft, bearings in the reel structure for supporting the shaft ends, shielding means in the reel disposed adjacent the end bearings for the shaft in overlapping relation to the end portions of the shaft for shifting the line into guided position upon the shaft upon the falling of the line upon said means.

4. In a fishing reel having devices for winding a fishing line thereon, a level wind shaft formed with means for guiding the fishing line alternately from end to end of the reel, mechanism for driving the level wind shaft, bearings in the reel structure for supporting opposite end portions of the shaft, inwardly sloping shielding means in the reel disposed adjacent the bearings for spacing the line from the junction of the shaft and its bearings when the line falls toward said junction.

5. In a fishing reel having devices for winding a fishing line thereon, a level wind shaft formed with means for guiding the fishing line from end to end of the reel, mechanism for -driving the level wind shaft, bearings in the reel structureY for supporting the shaft ends, hoods in the reel structure adjacent the bearing suplports of the shaft and having surfaces sloping toward each other and toward the axis of the shaft for shifting the line into guided position upon the shaft upon the falling of the line upon either of said hoods.

6. In a fishing reel having devices for winding a fishing line thereon, a level wind shaft formed with means for guiding the fishing line from end to end of the reel, casings at opposite ends of the reel, means in the casings for driving said devices and shaft, said shaft having bearings in said casings, hoods extending from the casings and overlapping end portions of the shaft for shifting the line into guided position upon the shaft upon the falling of the line upon said hoods.

7. In a fishing reel having devices for winding a fishing line thereon, a level wind shaft formed with means for guiding the fishing line from end to end of the reel, disc plates incorporaed at opposite ends of the reel and rotatably supporting the shaft, said devices including a crank having a bearing sleeve connected thereto, said sleeve having driving connection with said shaft, a stud mounted in one of the disc plates and rotatably 5 supporting the sleeve, a jewel thrust bearing carried by the outer end of the sleeve and engaging the outer end of the stud for spacing the inner sleeve end out of thrust bearing relation to both the inner end of the stud and the stud supporting 10 plate, and means connected to the disc to prevent outward movement of the sleeve.

8. A fishing reel comprising opposed end plates, means for rigidly assembling said plates in spaced relation, a level wind device carried by the plates, a l5 spool rotatable in the plates for receiving a fishing line, a bearing stud having a head portion rigidly mounted in one of the plates, a sleeve rotatable on said stud and carrying a crank for rotating it, said sleeve having driving connections with the level wind device and with the spool, a jewel bearing member adjustable axially upon the outer end of the sleeve and bearing against the outer end of the stud and maintaining the inner end of the sleeve out of thrust bearing contact with other elements of the reel to protect the adjacent elements of the sleeve and stud mounting against wear, and means connected to said one of the plates for maintaining the sleeve against outward displacement from the stud.

9. In a fishing reel having end members, a line winding spool and level wind mechanism carried in the end members, a power transmitting sleeve having a crank rigid therewith, a gear rigidly carried on the inner end portion of the s1eeve,. a smaller gear rigidly carried on the inner end of the sleeve and extending axially beyond the first gear, one of the end members having a bearing stud rigid therewith and extending through the sleeve for rotatably supporting the latter, cooperating thrust bearing elements carried. by the outer end portions of the sleeve and stud and spacing the smaller gea-r and its supporting end portion of the sleeve free from all thrust bearing relation whereby inward pressure incidental to operating the reel crank is absorbed by said thrust bearing elements, means carried by one of the end members to prevent outward axial displacement of the sleeve, and means for connecting said gears in driving relation to the winding spool and level wind mechanism.

I-IYLA F. MAYNES. 

